Crowds pay respects to the late king

Bangkok, Sept 17 – Crowds are queuing up to pay respects to late King Rama IX as the Bureau of the Royal Household will maintain the activity until Sept 30. People from all corners of the country show up to pay respects to the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej at the Dusit Maha Prasat Throne Hall within the compound of the Grand Palace. Queues of the people who love the late king remain undeterred despite rain and a long wait. Some of them arrived there early morning. The people undergo a screening process and have their ID cards and dresses checked before entering the Grand Palace. Screening points are at Rattanakosin Hotel, Tha Chang, Kalayanamit, the Defence Ministry and the Territorial Defence Command. Then they will pass a sole entrance in front of the Supreme Court to the Sanam Luang ground where they wait in tents for their turn to enter the Grand Palace. During the past 317 days from Oct 28 last year to Sept 15 this year, about 10.65 million people have been there to pay respects to the late king, with about 61,000 people recorded yesterday alone. (TNA)